Mie Prefecture, home to the Ise-Shima region that is set to host the G7 summit, is full of unique cultural sites that are must-sees for Japanese and non-Japanese alike.
Ise Jingu (Ise Grand Shrine) enshrines the progenitor of the Imperial family and is the nation's most revered Shinto shrine. Ama, or female divers, carry on a tradition that dates back several thousand years to dive deep into the Pacific Ocean off the prefecture's coast to catch abalone, clams, seaweed and other seafood. The Iga area of the prefecture is famous as the birthplace of one of the country's two famous ninja clans.
Of the many tourist highlights in the prefecture, Ise Jingu sits as the crown jewel of them all.